Sarah Palin is considered a 2016 GOP presidential hopeful but she has not indicated whether she intends to run. However, an early 2014 Economist/YouGov Poll asked participants, "Other than Hillary Clinton, is there any other woman you would want to run for president either in 2016 or 2020? Palin topped the field above Democrat Elizabeth Warren and Republican Condoleeza Rice.

The former Alaska govenor is championed by the Tea Party and many Republicans for her solid conservative values, strength of character, and straightforward, folksy style of communication. On the other hand, the latter character trait has also made her an easy target for the liberal media, which takes every opportunity to portray Palin in a negative light.

As the Republican choice for vice president in 2008, Palin brought a breath of fresh air and energy to John McCain's rather plodding campaign. After McCain's election loss, Palin continued to motivate conservatives across the country with her strong rhetoric for fiscal sanity, smaller government, and criticisms of President Obama.

Here are 7 key political positions of potential GOP presidential hopeful Sarah Palin:
1. Fiscal conservative: Sarah Palin is aligned with the Tea Party foundation of reduced government spending, taxation, and regulation.
2. Illegal immigration: In 2008, Palin supported a path to citizenship, but she is opposed to any form of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Currently Palin has been very vocal about Republicans whom she says will "face America's wrath," reports the Chicago Sun Times, if they do not defund President Obama's executive amnesty actions.

3. Energy: Sarah Palin subscribes to the "Drill baby drill" energy perspective on domestic oil and gas production. While she was mocked by liberals for saying more domestic energy would bring gas prices down, Rush Limbaugh recently pointed out, "We've drilled, we've drilled, we've fracked, and here are the Saudis lowering the price of oil. It works every time it's tried."

4. Healthcare: As a vocal opponent of Obamacare, Palin has taken not just the Democrats to task for the Affordable Care Act, which she calls "socialized medicine." She has also criticized Republicans in Congress saying, "Just remember — if you fund it, you own it!" reports National Review Online. Palin is for tort reform, and a free-market solution to healthcare that focuses on the doctor-patient relationship.

5. Abortion: Sarah Palin is pro-life including in cases of rape and incest. She does make an exception when the health of the mother is at risk. After an abortion activist filmed her own abortion, calling it "positive," Palin posted on her Facebook page, "Sad, gut wrenching, barbaric, hopeless, too far-gone a society that celebrates filming this?" Christian Post reports that Palin thanked women who choose to protect their unborn children saying "it is the strong and selfless woman who faces life head-on and seeks the help she needs, all while acknowledging the life within her is purposeful and precious — the life of a baby, the precious life of a child."

6. Gay marriage: Palin supports a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. In an interview with CBN News, Palin said, "I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that that's where we would go because I don't support gay marriage."

7. Second Amendment: As an avid hunter, gun owner, and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association Palin is a firm advocate for gun rights. In 2013, when the issue of increased background checks came up, Palin commented during her speech at CPAC, "…background checks, yeah, I guess to learn more about the person's thinking and associations and intentions. More background checks? Dandy idea Mr. President — should have started with yours," reports MSNBC.

Sarah Palin is considered a 2016 GOP presidential hopeful but she has not indicated whether she intends to run. The former Alaska govenor is championed by the Tea Party and many Republicans for her solid conservative values, strength of character, and straightforward, folksy style of communication.

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